Leong and the Queens handle the Kodiaks in back-to-back matches

Brent Forster - Red Deer Polytechnic Athletics 

Red Deer, AB - The Red Deer Polytechnic Queens Volleyball team completed the weekend sweep of the Lethbridge College Kodiaks.

On Sunday evening, the Queens were a calm and collected group, and downed the Lethbridge College Kodiaks in three sets (25-19, 25-21 and 25-15), claiming consecutive match victories over their south rivals. 

"We played very composed volleyball. With a veteran group, it's one of the luxuries that we have," said Chris Wandler, Red Deer Polytechnic Queens Volleyball Head Coach. "They've played a tonne of games and have been through a tonne of circumstances and they know how to work through things and not get too far ahead of themselves. I thought that was evident today." 

RDP setter Emma Letkeman distributed the ball to a variety of targets. Jadyn Leong led the way with 11 kills. Outside hitters Anna Carlson and Tess Pearman contributed nine kills each. Middles Sydney Rix (seven kills) and McKenna Olson (five kills) contributed on both sides of the ball for Red Deer Polytechnic. The two student-athletes also recorded three stuff blocks apiece.

Leong (6), Rix (12), Letkeman (18)

"Emma followed the game plan like we needed to follow the game plan. It was very well done on her part," said Wandler of the Kinesiology Fitness and Health student. "She set when she was balanced, and when she does that, she's very, very effective and that gave our outsides a lot of opportunities. We tried to stress a little bit more into the middle this game than we did in Lethbridge, and it very much showed."

Emma Letkeman totaled 34 assists, four digs, two aces and one kill.

Jadyn Leong was named the North Star Sports Queens Player of the Game. Along with her 11 kills, she added 11 digs, two assists and one ace, while finishing with a 0.476 hitting percentage.

"I liked her defence. Her tenacity. Her excitement and energy level. Everything about her game is pretty awesome," said Wandler of the former SAIT Trojans' outside hitter. "It was contagious to the group. A lot of that spilled off - if someone is 75 per cent, there's bound to be two or three who are 100 per cent and they add percentages to those who need a little bit more. She's one of those [student-atheltes] who are always on."

Mack Lewicki took top honours for the Kodiaks. She had 10 kills and 10 digs in a hard working effort. Eryka Woods chipped in with five kills and one stuff block. Kodiaks setter Johanna Dixon recorded 21 assists, four digs, one kill and one ace.

The Queens had 12 service aces. Sylvan Lake's Anna Carlson had one run from the service line which included three service aces. 

"We had a timeout, I think at 13-12, and then when I looked up it was 20-14," said Wandler. "Anna had a string where she served dimes and it put a lot of stress on the opposition when they are looking to sideout. We've been stressing that - the pressure is on the passing piece, not on the server."

The Kodiaks responded with three aces.

On Friday, November 19, the Red Deer Polytechnic Queens Volleyball team (2-0) will play the Olds College Broncos (2-0) on the road at 8 pm.